Sounding the Peak: Music Variety Show Finals Night "Five"

Sun Yingsha was holding a guitar onstage, playing and singing her mentor Wang Feng's signature song, "In the Summer."

"If I hadn't met you back then, I wouldn't have ended up this sorry mess. If you hadn't quietly left that day, I wouldn't have been so lost... If one day I'm about to die, please bury me, bury me in this summer..." Sun Yingsha's world-weary voice was instantly recognizable, telling anyone who heard it that she had a story to tell.

When the song ended, Sun Yingsha stood onstage, seemingly caught up in its emotions, tears streaming down her face as she waited for the mentors' comments.

Wang Feng spoke first. "Sun Yingsha, your voice brings tears to people's eyes. Although I don't know what you've been through to make your voice so world-weary, I still want to tell you that everything will pass! Your rendition of 'In the Summer' had a different flavor, and that was excellent. I hope you go even further in the competition!"

"Thank you, Mentor Wang Feng!" Having earned her idol's approval, Sun Yingsha's voice choked up.

Lin Qingxue said, "Sun Yingsha, your voice is highly distinctive, and your technique and other skills are quite mature. Together, they've given you a unique style. But by the same token, they've also become a limitation, preventing you from expressing emotion better when you sing songs in other styles. If you can't make a change, then every song you sing will have the same flavor."

Lin Qingxue's assessment hit the nail on the head! Sun Yingsha's strength lay in how well her voice suited songs like "In the Summer." She had a natural advantage there, but the downside was that she could only sing that type of song.

"Thank you, Mentor Lin Qingxue. I'll definitely work hard to change!" Sun Yingsha said sincerely. Perhaps she was aware of her own strengths and weaknesses.

The other two mentors also gave her favorable reviews. In the end, all four mentors approved, and Sun Yingsha advanced without a hitch!

"Next, please welcome Chen Ze to perform his original song, 'Hometown'!"

Another original song! The four mentors were shocked. They all understood how difficult it was to create an excellent song, and they hadn't expected Chen Ze to be so impressive!

The audience erupted as well! Many of them chanted "Chen Ze, Chen Ze" in unison, holding up illuminated signs bearing his name. Clearly, they were all his fans.

Chen Ze stood in the center of the stage and waved to his fans, setting off a chorus of screams.

Giant Loli was sitting close to the stage, in a seat she had paid ten thousand yuan to buy from another audience member! She kept waving and calling Chen Ze's name, hoping he would see her. But there were too many people in the audience, and Chen Ze didn't notice her.

Chen Ze nodded to the band, signaling that he was ready, and the accompaniment slowly began to play.

As the prelude began, the familiar, melodious tune instantly filled the theater. Among the audience, people who had been talking quietly fell silent in an instant, as though an invisible hand had gently pressed their lips shut. Everyone listened intently, waiting for the moving song to begin.

"Once again, the setting sun on the horizon shines upon my face, once again it shines upon my restless heart." When Chen Ze began to sing, his voice was slightly raspy, yet full of stories.

A young woman in the front row had been straightening her coat, but when she heard that line, she froze. Her coat slipped halfway off, and she didn't even notice. She tilted her head up slightly, her eyes wide. The surprise in them was swiftly replaced by emotion. Her lips trembled, as though she wanted to say something, but the song held her fast. Unable to make a sound, she could only let her eyes fill with tears.

In the middle of the audience sat a gray-haired elderly woman in a military uniform, her posture straight. Her granddaughter had insisted on dragging her here today, and she had assumed the music of this era was nothing special. But when the first line reached her ears, her previously calm expression softened with emotion. She leaned forward without realizing it, folding her hands over her knees and tapping her fingers gently, as though keeping time with the music. Her gaze gradually grew distant, as if she could see through the stage to the sunset in her faraway hometown, bringing to mind her deceased parents.

"What place is this, still so desolate? That endless journey is so long." The song continued. A group of young people in the back row, who had been whispering excitedly to one another, now fell silent too. One young woman in a baseball cap sighed softly at the lyric, took off her cap, and ran a hand through her hair. Her eyes were full of uncertainty about the distant road ahead and longing for her hometown. The young man beside her also frowned slightly and leaned gently against her shoulder, as though he had found comfort in the song.

In the mentors' seats, renowned musician Song Ying had her eyes lightly closed, her body swaying gently to the music. She was a legend in the music world, with a discerning eye and a deep, thorough understanding of music. Her fingers tapped softly on the armrest, keeping time. Hearing those lines, she nodded slightly and said quietly to Wang Feng beside her, "This kid really understands the lyrics. He handles the emotion in his voice just right, singing out both the loneliness of drifting and the longing for home."

Wang Feng was already too stunned to speak. This kind of rock music was his specialty, yet Chen Ze had combined rock and folk to create a different style, making her feel as though she had glimpsed another path.

"I am a wanderer forever traveling alone toward distant lands; you are my woman in the vast sea of people." When he sang that line, the atmosphere subtly changed. A middle-aged woman who had been staring intently at the stage heard it, and her eyes instantly reddened. She thought of her husband, far away in their hometown. She had spent so many years away, rushing about to make a living, and felt full of guilt toward her family. She lowered her head and gently wiped the corner of her eye.

Seated at the far left of the mentors' row was Lin Qingxue, a famous pop singer with a sweet voice and immense popularity. She had been watching Chen Ze without taking her eyes off him. When she heard that line, a trace of emotion flashed in her eyes. She bit her lip gently and couldn't help humming along. When he finished singing, she said to the other mentors with feeling, "He sang out that longing for a loved one so vividly that it was easy to put yourself in his shoes. It felt like he wasn't singing, but telling his own story."

"On the road in a foreign land, every cold night, this longing cuts me like a knife and leaves me hurting." The song sounded like weeping and pleading. A woman in business attire sat in the middle. At those words, the coffee cup in her hand stopped at her lips, and she didn't put it down for a long time. She remembered the days she had spent striving away from home, the countless cold nights when she had only her longing for her hometown to keep her warm. Her shoulders trembled slightly. She put down the cup and covered her face with her hand, trying to hide her emotions.

The director had been taking notes in a notebook. Hearing that line, she stopped writing, nodded, and said, "From his command of the melody to the expression of emotion in the lyrics, he handled it all exceptionally well. Those lines gave the pain of longing a tangible form and conveyed a powerful emotional force through song."

"Always in my dreams I see your helpless eyes, and my heart is awakened once again." As Su Ran sang this part, the voice trembled slightly, full of deep feeling. In the audience, a young mother held the child beside her close, her eyes full of tenderness and affection. She thought of her young child and the reluctant look in the child's eyes whenever she left for work, and her heart filled with concern.

As the song continued, "I stand here remembering when we once parted; you stood among the crowd, so alone. That was your broken heart, yet mine was so wild," the atmosphere reached a climax. The audience was immersed in the song. Some sobbed softly, while others' eyes were full of memories. The mentors, too, showed their appreciation, nodding to one another in approval.

When the final note faded, a brief silence fell over the venue, as though everyone was still immersed in that profound homesickness, unable to pull themselves free. Then thunderous applause erupted, cheers and cries of approval interweaving and echoing throughout the theater. The audience rose to their feet, clapping hard to express their love and admiration for Chen Ze.

Chen Ze stood onstage with tears glistening in his eyes. Looking at the enthusiastic audience below and the smiling mentors, he was deeply moved. This performance was not only a blossoming of his musical dream, but had also used music to connect countless people's deep attachment to their hometowns, their families, and their loved ones.

Clap, clap, clap! The venue was filled with applause and screams! Giant Loli's hands were nearly swollen from clapping, and her throat was almost hoarse from shouting. She was full of pride. This was his man; her husband was so outstanding!

Wang Feng spoke first. "Chen Ze, you've surprised me so much. You combined rock and folk to create a different style. Your voice isn't world-weary, but your song is full of stories. I no longer know how to appraise you. When we have time, let's discuss it together!"

An uproar swept through the venue. Mentor Wang Feng had said she didn't know how to appraise him, and that she wanted to discuss it with Chen Ze sometime. She had said discuss, not offer guidance. Clearly, she regarded Chen Ze as an equal!

Chen Ze was also a little surprised by Mentor Wang Feng's comments. He hadn't expected her to be so humble. At her social standing, ordinary people would never catch her eye, so Chen Ze also acknowledged this mentor, recognizing that it was no accident she had reached her current position!

Song Ying said, "Chen Ze, you really have surprised me every time. Your talent seems inexhaustible. I truly don't know where your limits are, and I hope you'll bring us more surprises in the rest of the competition!"

Ai Kun said, "Chen Ze, you're an excellent singer-songwriter, and your singing is impeccable. I hope that one day I can hear you create a rap song!"

Lin Qingxue said, "Chen Ze, can you write songs in every style? If that's really the case, I hope I can sing one of your songs someday!"

"Wow, Lin Qingxue is asking Chen Ze for a song!"

"That's huge news! Once this episode airs, Chen Ze will probably be a massive hit!"

"Wow! Chen Ze is the best!"

The audience discussed it heatedly, and the entire stadium was filled with screams and cheers!

In the end, all four mentors voted for him, and Chen Ze successfully advanced!